This invention relates to a bin carrier attachment for use with a portable rollout waste container. The invention is intended to promote recycling by reducing the effort and certain inconveniences required to participate in municipal recycling programs.
Typical household waste collection takes place by driving a collection truck along a collection route. On specified days residents roll their wheeled containers out to the street curb to be emptied. Those residents choosing to recycle sort their recyclable items, and store them in separate bins positioned at the curbside next to the waste container for collection.
The importance of recycling and the expense of disposing of household and business refuse has created a demand for greater participation in municipal recycling efforts. Most municipalities provide free bins to households so that recyclable items can be conveniently sorted and stored prior to collection. Some municipalities, business concerns, and schools have instituted incentive programs to encourage conservation and recycling. Despite such efforts, the overall percentage of households which consistently recycle remains low.
A contributing cause for this lack of participation is the physical effort and inconvenience of transporting multiple containers from the home to the curbside. While the rollout waste container is relatively easy to move, the recycle bins are often heavy and must be lifted and carried separately in a second or even third trip. For many residents, the need alone to make multiple trips from the home to the curb is enough to discourage recycling. The present invention resolves these inconveniences by enabling the transport of recyclable items contained in one or more separate bins together with the waste container from the home to the curbside in a single trip.
Therefore, it is an object of the invention to provide a bin carrier attachment adapted for use with a portable rollout waste container, and for holding a recycle bin such that users need make only a single trip from the home to the street curb when transporting their waste and recyclable items for collection.
It is another object of the invention to provide a bin carrier attachment which is relatively inexpensive to manufacture.
It is another object of the invention to provide a bin carrier attachment which is relatively lightweight.
It is another object of the invention to provide a bin carrier attachment which is durable.
It is another object of the invention to provide a bin carrier attachment which is easily removed from and applied to the waste container without damaging the walls of the container.
It is another object of the invention to provide a bin carrier attachment which is adjustable to fit bins of different sizes.
It is another object of the invention to provide a bin carrier attachment which does not interfere with the normal collection of waste in the waste container.
It is another object of the invention to provide a bin carrier attachment which is capable of supporting a load of up to 50 lbs.
It is another object of the invention to promote recycling.
It is another object of the invention to enable the transport of multiple bins together with the rollout waste container from the home to the street curb in a single trip.
It is another object of the invention to reduce the physical effort required to transport recycle bins to the street curb for collection.
It is another object of the invention to make it difficult for pests to enter into the recycle bin at the storage site near the home.
It is another object of the invention to provide a method for promoting recycling.
These and other objects of the present invention are achieved in the preferred embodiments disclosed below by providing a bin carrier attachment for a portable waste container. The attachment includes a mounting member adapted for securing the attachment to the waste container. A bin support member is attached to the mounting member, and is adapted for supporting a separate bin used for containing articles outside of the waste container. The waste container and bin are movable together in a single trip between a storage site and a waste collection site. The term xe2x80x9cbinxe2x80x9d is defined broadly herein to include any container, such as a plastic box, frame, or bag, used for storage.
According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the mounting member includes a pair of spaced-apart hangers adapted for extending over a rim of the waste container.
According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the bin support member includes a support frame defining an opening adapted for receiving and supporting a bin.
According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the support frame includes cooperating pairs of parallel side frame members and parallel front and rear frame members integrally formed with the side frame members.
According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the mounting member and the bin support member are formed of plastic.
According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the mounting member and the bin support member are formed of metal.
According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the mounting member and the bin support member are formed of aluminum.
In another embodiment, the invention is a method of transporting sorted waste and recyclable articles in a single trip between a storage site and a waste collection site. The method includes the step of securing a bin carrier attachment to a portable waste container. A separate bin is then positioned within the bin carrier attachment for containing the recyclable articles. The waste container and bin are then transported in a single trip between the storage site and the waste collection site.
According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, method includes securing a plurality of bin carrier attachments to the portable waste container for transporting a corresponding plurality of bins together with the waste container between the storage site and the waste collection site.
In another embodiment, the invention is a combination portable waste container and a bin carrier attachment. The bin carrier attachment includes a mounting member removably securing the attachment to the waste container. A bin support member is attached to the mounting member, and is adapted for supporting a separate bin used for containing articles outside of the waste container. The waste container and bin are movable together in a single trip between a storage site and a waste collection site.